Paula Radcliffe and Jonathan Edwards to lose world records

Paula Radcliffe and Jonathan Edwards are set to be stripped of their world and European records under new rules that will require anyone breaking a major record to have been tested numerous times in the months beforehand – and to have the sample taken after their record performance still available for retesting.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has stored blood and urine samples only since 2005, which means that Radcliffe’s world marathon record of 2hr 15min 25sec, set in 2003, and Edwards’ triple jump best of 18.29m set in 1995 will no longer be seen as official European or world records, along with Colin Jackson’s indoor 60m hurdles world record of 6.30sec set in 1994.

Paul Radcliffe’s marathon world record of 2003 will no longer be seen as official due to new rules around testing. Photograph: Warren Little/Getty Images

The proposal would also mean that historical world records, including Mike Powell’s extraordinary world long jump of 8.95m, from 1991, and Hicham El Guerrouj’s 1500m time of 3min 26.00sec, from 1998, would be stripped from the books.

Others that have long been seen as dubious, such as Florence Griffiths-Joyner’s 100m and 200m world records, set in 1988, and numerous world bests set by eastern bloc athletes during the Cold War, when state-sponsored doping was rife and there was no out-of-competition testing, would also be deleted.

However, Usain Bolt’s 100m and 200m records, David Rudisha’s 800m best and Wayde van Niekerk’s 400m are likely to remain on the books because they were set more recently – provided they pass the new criteria.

The proposal was discussed and accepted at a European Athletics council meeting over the weekend and, crucially, also given the backing of the IAAF president, Seb Coe, who also attended.

The European Athletics president, Svein Arne Hansen said: “What we are proposing is revolutionary, not just because most world and European records will have to be replaced but because we want to change the concept of a record and raise the standards for recognition to a point where everyone can be confident that everything is fair and above board,” he said.

The doping control sample taken after the record would also have to be stored and available for retesting for a period of up to ten years.

“I like this because it underlines that we have put into place doping control systems and technology that are more robust and safer than 15 or even 10 years ago,” said IAAF president, Lord Sebastian Coe.

“There will be athletes, current record holders, who will feel that the history we are recalibrating will take something away from them but I think this is a step in the right direction and if organised and structured properly we have a good chance of winning back credibility in this area.”

Radcliffe and Edwards were informed of the new proposal last week. Neither has yet commented publicly but last year Radcliffe said she was against the idea of stripping world records, saying: “I’ll never agree with the records being wiped because I know 100% that at least one of those records was achieved clean and that means more were too.”